Lord of the Two Lands
by Hannaadi88
Summary: Alfred loves Egypt: the vast stretches of sand, the glittering water of the Nile and the endless blue sky. While serving his kingdom had been the initial reason for his enlistment, as a general his heart now beats for someone of greater beauty- His Pharaoh.


Nothing compared to the interior of the audience halls in Malkata. With their colorful tiles of blue and yellow and shining limestone columns, Alfred couldn't help but compare the halls to the stairways in Mittani or the large courtyards of Assyria and find the latter lacking.

No matter how lavish and bright the foreign palaces appeared to be, Egypt came on top every time in Alfred's eyes. Call him biased, call him a romanticist, but there was nothing easier on the eyes and more soothing to the soul than the scent and sight of home.

However pretty the halls were, the throne room was absolutely magnificent. The paintings on the walls greeted him with their raised arms as he approached the dais. He knelt on the floor, relishing the feel of the cool stone against the desert heat. As he was allowed to rise, Alfred couldn't help but notice the fresh coat of paint applied to the painted birds on the ceiling.

The rich red was more vibrant than ever, but it paled in contrast to the emerald green of the pharaoh's eyes. The throne room was magnificent, yes, but what made it so wasn't the polished wooden table of the vizier.

No, it was the pharaoh himself, who shone like the rising sun he personified.

"General," the pharaoh addressed him with a nod. "You're back early."

Alfred bowed his head. "That I am, your highness. My mission ended sooner than expected."

The pharaoh exchanged a glance with the vizier. "I take it you return with good news?"

The smile that shaped Alfred's lips stretched widely across his features. "The very best. There will be no war with Hatti, pharaoh."

Every tense moment, every heated discussion, every sleepless night Alfred had endured during his mission was worth the beaming smile he got in return. "Excellent work, general. You have my gratitude."

Excited whispers followed by joyful clapping filled the room as members of the court paused from their games of senet and cheered. Alfred inclined his head, acknowledging the crowd, but he could feel a set of kohl rimmed eyes on his back.

"Congratulations, general," the queen addressed him crisply from the adjacent throne. Alfred turned to face her and bowed deeply, carefully monitoring his smile.

"Thank you, your majesty."

When he looked up, he noticed the pharaoh's heavy gaze studying him, not unlike the way he observed him the morning Alfred had left for Hatti.

"_Must you leave so early? It's not yet dawn."_

_Alfred raised his eyes from his belt and ran them over the bare form on his bed, smooth legs still tangled in the cotton sheets and fair hair tousled from sleep. His usually sharp face looked vulnerable without his tall headdress and his voice was rough from the night before. _

_He had to fight the urge to drop everything and rejoin his lover on the pillows._

"_You know as well as I that this is the best time to depart, your highness," Alfred gave the man a wistful look as he sat back down on the bed, bending down to tie his sandals. _

_His hand was grabbed and pulled at. When Alfred turned his head, he was met with a pair of lips pressed urgently against his own. He raised his hand to cup the other's cheek, but the man pulled away before he could be touched. _

"_Don't call me that when we're alone, Alfred. You know my name."_

_Alfred smiled, but shook his head. _

"_Go on, say it. I command you."_

"_Arthur, I have to go." His arm was released and Alfred stood up, meeting the other's eyes for a long moment before falling to his knees and taking Arthur's palm in his hands and kissing the back, brushing his mouth against the pharaoh's knuckles. _

"_I won't fail you."_

"General," the pharaoh said quietly, raising a brow. "Have you been listening?"

Alfred could feel his face burn in embarrassment at being caught daydreaming. "I apologize, your highness. I was lost in thought."

The man smiled at him knowingly. "You're forgiven. When you've rested from your travels, report to my rooms. I would like to go over the details of the treaty with you."

Alfred found himself on the floor once more, kneeling before acting on his dismissal. He rose quickly to his feet and turned to leave, resisting looking over his shoulder at his sovereign.

He'd have enough time to memorize his features later that night, after all.

* * *

This drabble was written for the 365daysofusuk blog on tumblr. As you can see from my most recent works, I carry quite the torch for the ancients xD

I'm not planning on expanding this into a full-blown fic or even a proper oneshot, but I might dabble in this verse in this future if there's enough interest.


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